IDC disclosed last week some figures about the worldwide smartphone market (so called “converged mobile devices”). According to the market research company, vendors shipped a total of 54.5 million units in the fourth quarter of 2009, up 39.0% from the same quarter a year ago. For the full year, vendors shipped a total of 174.2 million units in 2009, up 15.1% from the 151.4 million units in 2008. Converged mobile devices accounted for 15.4% of all mobile phones shipped in 2009, up slightly from 12.7% in 2008.

These figures are similar to IDC's competitor Strategy Analytics that acknowledges 173.8 million units in 2009 and 53 million in the fourth quarter alone (read here).

Moto in Top 5
Nokia is leading the pack, followed by RIM and Apple (see tables below). But the fourth quarter saw the rise of Motorola, back from the ashes, which sold more smartphones than HTC and Samsung. “The company fulfilled its promise of launching its first Android-powered devices before the end of the year, and earned a warm reception as combined shipments of its DROID at Verizon Wireless and the CLIQ/DEXT at multiple carriers reached two million units in their debut. Motorola still offered versions of its legacy devices, including versions of the Windows Mobile-powered Q and the Linux powered MING A1800, RAZR 2V8, and Tundra in multiple markets,” said IDC.